Speaker: Ning Ge, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Burridge Lab.
"Modelling atrial fibrillation using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial cardiomyocytes"
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, affecting over 50 million individuals worldwide. Despite its high prevalence and substantial clinical burden, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying AF remain incompletely understood. Current experimental models often fail to fully recapitulate human atrial-specific electrophysiology and genetic background.
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Speaker: Yasmeen Lowe, PhD Candidate, Augustin Lab.
"Endocannabinoid signaling at striato-pallidal synapses in ethanol reward"
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, a vital cell-signaling system underlying many physiological processes, is important for reinforcing effects of ethanol. However, how ethanol impacts eCB signaling at specific terminals within the brain to contribute to ethanol reward is unclear. We have shown that ethanol decreases eCB signaling in the Globus Pallidus (GP), an area important in movement and reward. Additionally, we have identified neurons in the GP that express the eCB synthesis machinery. This project provides a potential mechanism for how ethanol influences eCB signaling to contribute to ethanol reward.